Black rice, raw (Venere, organic?)

Black rice (" forbidden rice ") is a medium-grain whole grain rice with an unusually high concentration of anthocyanins, which have an antioxidant effect and are responsible for the dark color of the rice grain. It is bought raw and preferably in organic quality ( bio).

Using black rice in the kitchen:

What does black rice taste like? Black wholegrain rice has a nutty aroma and an intense wholegrain flavor. The anthocyanin pigment responsible for the dark color is only found in the outer layers of the grain. Black rice is therefore always wholegrain rice, because a plain, white grain is hidden under the dark outer layers. There are various variations of black rice that have been created by crossing it with other types of rice.

Variations of black rice:

• Black Venere rice: The black rice (Riso Venere) grown in Piedmont, Italy, is a cross between black Chinese rice and an Italian rice variety. Riso Venere is the most commonly grown black rice variety in Italy. It has a buttery, aromatic taste and is suitable for spicy meat, fish and vegetable dishes.
• Nerone rice: The black-brown rice grown in the Italian Po Valley is very similar to Venere rice. The only difference is the size of the grains. It is also suitable for meat, fish and vegetable dishes.
• Black sticky rice: Black sticky rice from China, Indonesia and Vietnam is a short grain rice that has a very sticky consistency after cooking due to its high starch content. Due to its sweet taste, it is often used in desserts and Asian sweet dishes.
• Filipino Balatinaw rice: The dark purple to black rice is a semi-sticky medium grain rice that has a slightly fruity and chocolaty aroma. It can be used as a side dish, for various rice dishes or in salads.
• Indonesian black rice: The rice grown in Indonesia has a strong brown shimmer. It is a sticky rice that is often used in desserts, for example rice pudding.
• Thai black jasmine rice: This medium grain rice from Thailand is a cross between jasmine rice and Chinese black rice. After cooking, it has a slightly floral aroma. ¹

Black wholegrain rice is used in both savoury and sweet dishes. It is suitable for making porridge, desserts, traditional Chinese black rice cakes and bread - or it can be served as a side dish to hearty meals. Black rice is also used in salads and vegetable stews. In Bali, this special type of rice is used to make the traditional 'black rice pudding'.

Venere rice and black rice in general are very suitable for raw food dishes based on germinated rice.

Simple instructions for black sprouted rice:

Whole grain rice can be easily sprouted and eaten raw (as raw food). Black rice is particularly suitable for this: make sure it is organic quality (organic). The raw black rice is left in water for 12 hours. It can turn dark purple because pigments, such as those found inraspberries, emerge. Then pour the water through a sieve. There is no germination visible yet, but the process has begun. Do not submerge the black whole grain rice again, but leave it wet and rinse it in the sieve again in the morning and evening and let it drain. Repeat this process for another two to three days, after which the germination or rice sprouts should be visible. The rice can now also be eaten raw and has a slightly nutty taste. It is also suitable for mixing into vegetable salads, etc.

Vegan recipe for black sticky rice pudding:

Ingredients (for 3 people): ½ cup black sticky rice, 2 ½ cups water, 3-4 tablespoons cane sugar, 1 pinch of salt, ½ cup plant-based drink (depending on taste, e.g. oat milk or almond milk, etc. - coconut milk is popular, but health and ecologically questionable).

Preparation: For the pudding, soak the black sticky rice for 12 hours (overnight, for example). The next day, pour off the old water and bring the rice to the boil in fresh water. Let the rice simmer for around 30 minutes. Then add a little salt and cane sugar to the black rice and simmer for a further 10 minutes. Stir the rice constantly until the sugar has dissolved. Serve the finished rice pudding with a little plant milk. If you like your dessert a little fruitier, you can also add fresh mangos, papayas or fried bananas.

Vegan recipes with black rice can be found under the note: " Recipes that have the most of this ingredient ".

Shopping - where to buy black rice?

Black rice grown in Europe is usually available as Venus rice (Riso Venere, Riso Nero Venere, Black Piedmont rice, Black Venere rice), Nerone rice (Riso Nerone) or Riso integrale nero. Supermarkets such as Coop, Migros, Spar, Rewe and Edeka usually have black rice in their standard range. Denner, Volg, Lidl, Aldi, Hofer etc. rarely or only occasionally offer black rice. In organic supermarkets (e.g. Denn's Biomarkt, Alnatura), organic shops, health food stores, drugstores and online shops, black rice is also available in organic quality. When buying rice, make sure it is organically produced (organic), as pesticides are used in conventional cultivation.

Well-stocked Asian markets or online retailers usually offer several varieties of black rice. Black rice varieties include black Venere rice, Nerone rice, black sticky rice, Philippine Balatinaw rice, Indonesian black rice and Thai black jasmine rice. Depending on the region where it is grown, there are small differences in color. Thai black rice has a reddish tint, while Indonesian black rice has a strong brown shimmer. Black rice that originally comes from China is deep black.

Black rice belongs to the medium grain rice type, which is a variety within the short grain rice due to genetic criteria. Therefore, sticky to very sticky varieties of black rice are known. You can also buy special black sticky rice in stores.

Preparing black rice:

Preparing black rice is similar to that of traditional brown rice. Since black rice is a natural product, it should be cleaned before cooking to remove any dirt. To do this, wash the rice in cold water. The cloudiness of the water is caused by the excess starch that separates from the rice grain. Drain the old water and replace it with new water until it remains clear after washing. By removing the excess starch, the black rice will not stick together as much when cooked and will have a fluffy consistency. For dishes where a sticky consistency is desired, wash the rice only once to avoid rinsing off too much of the starch.

After washing the black wholegrain rice, heat water in a pot on the stove. The ratio of water to rice is 1:2.5. This means 2.5 cups of water for 1 cup of rice. After the water has started to boil, add the black rice. Cover the pot and reduce the heat until the rice is still simmering. It should cook for around 35-40 minutes, until it has absorbed all the liquid but is still firm to the bite. Then remove the pot from the stove and let the rice simmer for another 5 minutes. The black rice, which has a slightly sweet, nutty taste, can be served on its own or as a tasty side dish for stir-fried or vegetable dishes - or as a salad.

Found in the wild:

There is no known wild form within the Oryza sativa species. Rice originally comes from the Oryza rufipogon species ², but has undergone numerous breeding processes. All other Oryza species - except the cultivated plants Oryza sativa and Oryza glaberrima - are wild rice plants. Wild rice is also the name given to dark grains of the American grass genus Zizania. These plants are also known as water rice, but from a botanical point of view they are not actually wild rice.

Storage of black rice:

Black rice should be stored in a dark, cool and dry place. After purchasing the rice, remove it from its original packaging and store it in storage jars, for example, so that the harmful substances contained in the packaging materials cannot penetrate into the rice.

Can black rice go bad? Black rice is always whole grain rice and therefore has a much shorter shelf life than conventional white rice. If stored properly, black whole grain rice can be stored for around 1 year, whereas white rice can last for 2 years. The shorter shelf life of whole grain rice can be attributed to the fact that the grain still contains the germ and the silver skin, which promote rancidity.

If possible, do not store rice near odorous foods such as coffee, tea and spices, as it may absorb their odor.

Cooked black rice spoils easily and should be consumed within a few days. If you have too much rice, you can store the leftover, cooled rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. You should be particularly careful when heating rice, as the temperature must be above 65 °C. If you cool it incorrectly or only heat it slightly , Bacillus cereus pathogens can develop and multiply quickly. These bacteria can lead to severe vomiting and diarrhea. ⁴

It is also possible to freeze cooked rice. Once it has cooled completely and is hermetically sealed, it can be stored in the freezer. When reheating, do not cook the black rice in hot water, as it will be too soft, but heat the rice using steam. ⁵

Ingredients - nutritional values - calories:

How good is black rice? Black rice (raw) is a valuable food with numerous important nutrients such as proteins, vitamins, minerals and fiber. The ingredients listed for this black rice (see table) come from information on the European Piedmont variety.

How many calories does black rice have? The 356 kilocalories per 100 g come mainly from carbohydrates. With 8 g of protein, black rice has a lower protein content than basmati rice (9 g), but a higher value than short grain rice (6.5 g) or medium grain brown rice (7.5 g). Compared to other types of grain such as spelt (14.9 g) and millet (11 g), black rice is relatively low in protein. Rice contains very little fat, at around 3 g/100 g.

The high anthocyanin content in black rice is particularly noteworthy. Compared to white and red rice, black rice has the highest total antioxidant capacity (TAC). These are polyphenols with a broad spectrum of dark color pigments and high antioxidant activity. The anthocyanin content in the aleurone layer of black rice is 1.36% and in the intact grain 0.16%. The bran of black rice also has the highest antioxidant activities of all pigmented rice varieties. Cooking generally reduces the TAC. However, when the water is completely absorbed, more anthocyanins remain in the rice. ^6,7,8

The complete ingredients of black rice, the coverage of the daily requirement and comparison values with other ingredients can be found in our nutrient tables. In the article Nutrients explained you will get a detailed insight into the topic.

Health aspects - effects:

Is black rice healthy? Studies show that anthocyanins from black rice can reduce oxidative stress and are associated with possible protection against cardiovascular diseases and cataracts. In addition, an extract from black rice is said to provide relief from asthma. ⁶ Positive effects of anthocyanins on cancer, atherosclerosis, hypoglycemia and allergies are known. ⁹

The starch contained in the rice grain has an anti-irritant effect. It is therefore used for dusting powder and enemas. ¹⁰

Black rice is a gluten-free alternative for people with gluten intolerance. Look for the gluten-free symbol (crossed-out ear of corn), which only licensed products carry.

Dangers - intolerances - side effects:

The use of fertilizers and pesticides in rice-growing countries means that the groundwater in some regions is heavily contaminated with arsenic and cadmium. The rice absorbs the toxins with the water and accumulates them in its leaves and seeds. Higher levels can be found in rice, rice cakes and rice flakes. Small children absorb arsenic even more easily than adults, which is why it is recommended that children under 3 years of age should not be fed primarily rice and rice products. ^11,17

Arsenic is an inorganic metalloid that is classified as carcinogenic to humans. ¹¹

Folk medicine - natural medicine:

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) claims that black rice is good for the kidneys, stomach and liver. Furthermore, rice is said to increase life energy (Qi) and make your hair shiny. ¹²

Occurrence - Origin - Ecology:

Black rice originally comes from China. It is also called "forbidden rice" because, according to history, only the emperor was allowed to eat the rare black rice because it was so difficult to grow and its exceptional ingredients were supposed to guarantee the emperor's health and longevity.

The main producers of black rice are China, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia. Black Venere rice from the Italian Piedmont region has been available for the European market for around 20 years. Since the black rice from China was never able to adapt to the climatic conditions in Italy, the Chinese rice was crossed with a local variety. This is how the rice varieties Venere rice and Nerone rice were created, among others. Both varieties are still grown in the Italian Po Valley today.

Black rice is the result of a genetic mutation. The mutation in the Kala4 gene stimulates the production of the pigment anthocyanin. ¹³ This gives the rice its typical dark purple to black color. The same pigment is also found in foods such asblueberries, eggplant, grapes and blood oranges. Japanese researchers assume that the mutation occurred in the species Oryza sativa ssp. japonica and was transferred to other types of rice through cross-breeding.

Cultivation - harvesting of black rice:

Black rice, including Venere rice, is very difficult to cultivate and has a low yield compared to other types of rice. These circumstances lead to correspondingly higher prices for the black grains, not only organic but also conventional.

Black rice has a high need for sunlight and prefers warm climates with temperatures of 21 °C and above. It has a long growth phase, which is between 3 and 6 months depending on the variety. Cultivation is very time-consuming, as farmers plant each seedling by hand and also weed by hand. ¹⁴

The rice is harvested after the panicles have turned yellow. Manual harvesting is the most common method. Farmers use sickles to harvest the ripe rice and tie the panicles together to form sheaves. With manual harvesting, there are a few days between harvesting and threshing so that the rice can dry a little. Mechanical harvesting is less traditional. Combine harvesters harvest the ripe panicles and thresh them. ¹⁵ Cleaning and drying is necessary for both harvesting methods, as a storable rice grain can only have a maximum moisture content of 14%. This almost untreated form of rice is called raw rice, unhusked rice or paddy rice. The germinable rice grain is only threshed and dried and is not suitable for consumption, but for sowing. By removing the hard, woody, silica-containing husks, you get semi-raw rice (also: whole grain rice, natural rice, brown rice, whole rice, cargo rice). It also contains the nutrient-rich germ and the silver skin and is very filling due to the high fiber content.

Ecological aspects:

In addition to lower water consumption, dry rice cultivation is also much less harmful to the climate than wet rice cultivation, as it produces significantly less methane. ¹⁵

There is still no explicit limit for inorganic arsenic, which enters the soil via fertilizers in conventional rice cultivation. This is not permitted in organic farming. Plant research is trying to breed varieties that accumulate less arsenic. ¹⁵

The development of genetically modified "Golden Rice", which contains more beta-carotene, was intended to counteract the vitamin A deficiency that is prevalent in many Asian regions. However, this "humanitarian concern" is just clever marketing and a trivialization of patents. There is still a lot of criticism that this was intended to facilitate the introduction of green genetic engineering. With better cultivation strategies and the promotion of the cultivation of black rice, for example, but also pumpkin, this vitamin A deficiency in the population could also be improved. ¹⁵

Danger of confusion:

Due to its dark color, black rice is often confused with dark-grain wild rice or a dish in which rice is colored with squid ink (e.g. risotto nero or black squid ink risotto, but then it is not vegan). ³

General information:

Black rice (forbidden rice) is a variety of the cultivated rice plant Oryza sativa from the grass family. The rice grain consists of germ, endosperm, aleurone layer, seed coats and pericarp, the last three together forming the so-called silver skin.

The two most important subspecies of the cultivated rice plant are the non-sticky type long grain rice ( Oryza sativa ssp. indica) and the sticky type short grain rice ( Oryza sativa ssp. japonica), sometimes also called sticky rice (not glutinous rice). Sometimes sticky rice is considered a separate variety ( Oryza sativa var. glutinosa). A third subspecies is the medium grain rice type Oryza sativa ssp. javanica, the typical 'risotto rice'. Due to genetic criteria, medium grain rice is usually considered a variety within the short grain rice. ¹⁶

Alternative names:

Black rice is known by many names. It is called: Venus rice (Venus rice or Venus rice), Riso Venere, Riso Nerone, Nerone rice (Nerone rice), Riso integrale nero, Black Piedmont rice, Riso Nero Venere, Black Venere rice, purple rice, forbidden rice.

In English, black rice is also called forbidden rice, black rice or purple rice.

Literature - Sources: